Existing maps need TLC, not new ones constantly | Low pops

[Super Fab]

Existing maps need TLC, not new ones constantly | Low pops

• Existing maps should be reworked similar to how they rework dinos 
• While new maps like once a year is a lot of fun, 2+ a year is a quick bandage for deeper issues with Ark
• Low populations are becoming the norm on Ark official. I think most people agree that playing on official is for the social aspect, otherwise people would just play single player

 

Existing MAP TLC 

A prime example of maps that seem dead most of the time are Aberration, The Center, Scorched Earth. There are many reasons for each of them to why The Island keeps its population up just like Rag while they do not. I get that. What I dont get is why instead of constantly pumping out new maps, why they dont TLC the existing maps and just bring out a single new map instead. 

I know that the new maps creates a bandage fix for things like pillaring and it keeps end game players that have everything and are bored from quitting. It also fills in a void where one person might hate 7 maps but love 1 and that one keeps them playing. But there are also ways to make old, dead, 'boring' maps refreshed. Biomes would create new land mass but might make too big of a map, instances however can be small, fun, challenging. The thing I see everywhere are complaints about Genesis. Genesis is EXACTLY what Ark needs. Rather you hate Genesis or not, it brings fresh mechanics to Ark. Ark hasn't had major new mechanics in years. Missions was a great move and frankly I had a blast racing! It's something I can do solo too which I love. They could add something similar to existing maps via instances where instead or if they had to, demo certain areas of the map like they did back in the day when they added stuff (Basically there were tiny areas where they'd give you X amount of days to move and whatever was left after the update would be destroyed with whatever new thing they added to the map). 

It's not just things like adding missions but expanding on boss fights such as just you and your weapons fighting it out in the same existing boss arenas but having much easier bosses where a noob could get SOME element even if it was small. 

This can go on and on with possibilities - point is I really think the dead maps need a facelift without wiping them in the process (or perhaps a wipe is good.. thats another topic though).

 

New Maps (2+ per year)

This me no likey 

One thing it's causing is servers across the board to become less and less populated. I know from a business standpoint it makes sense because they have these mod programs, they buy the map for relatively cheap, polish it to official standards (which is still a low bar lol) then wallah everyone has a fresh start together, they can make an event out of it, have discounts, have 3x to hook new players in faster. I get it! But on the flipside whats happening now like I said before is low pops which ironically makes the game feel more dead, not more alive when every single server I'm on except whatever the newest map is, feels dead (I know there are servers out their for every map thats the contrary to being dead, I'm speaking about the ones I am on including Ragnarok even). 

I really think 1 map per year would be amazing instead. Make it really good, if you want to really use the mod program then perhaps hire those people onto WC's payroll like whats done in the past to have them work with the dev team to create a totally new experience. Again, I know Genesis has a lot of hate but it is exciting playing on a map that's never been seen by the public for the first time. 

 

Too Long, Didn't Read:

Complaint, suggestion, rant. Call it what you like. I'm just not all 'yay' about yet another map coming out. I want higher quality across the board instead including what's been out for years. They added swamps and redwoods to The Island, surely they can revisit that same mentality. 

 

 

[ChrisGamingYT]

All of the current free maps feel unfinished, let's add a new unfinished map. Logic.

I have filed a report about broken beacons all over the center, with full coordinates and all, they never got fixed, instead of fixing even the most blatant problems on the current maps, let's add a new map! Logic.

[lordfarquaad242]

I've thought about that a lot, and it's not because the map is outdated generally, it's because the developers intentionally made a lot of those maps redundant. Firstly, the Center could definitely use a rework. It is an older map however, that is made by the community. Its ground textures are inferior to most other maps, and it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Not to mention, it didn't get any exclusive creatures unlike Ragnarok and Valguero.

Scorched Earth as a map is very high quality. Unfortunately, Ragnarok came out, which made the Scorched Earth DLC pointless, as the creatures in Scorched Earth were now on Ragnarok, and obtaining these creatures on Ragnarok is far more convenient and easier. 

The ARK team obviously noticed this with the release of Valguero, greatly restricting the amount of Aberration creatures that were allowed, in saying that, the arguably most useful Aberration creature, Karkinos, was available on Valguero, which means that in many ways Aberration became redundant as well, but not as much. The Aberration map is again, incredibly well made, high quality, and is far more interesting in my opinion than any other ARK map, including Genesis. I think another reason not many people play Aberration anymore is the stigma associated with "no fliers". People adore their fliers, so much so that they get upset when they can't use them, which is kind of sad, because they make the game incredibly boring and stale. 

TLDR: Aberration and Scorched are actually pretty good, the Center definitely needs a rework